A Wee Dent

Well, after 20 or more wheelbarrow loads of compost, I have managed to make a wee dent in the side of the massive compost pile on my lawn. What was I thinking? Three and a half yards of compost could cover every garden on the street! Well, I've now put at least an inch on all my flower beds. I have put an inch on some of the veggie beds and will work them in later this week. Joe has added four or five loads to the former sandbox and this is what remains. Compare and be awed by my hard work (and sore back).

Day 1. Friday. Untouched. 3.5yards.

Day 2. Saturday. 5 hours work. About 14 barrowfuls.

Day 3. Sunday. 4 more hours of hauling. About 10 more wheelbarrows. (And still enough to feed every earthworm in the northern hemisphere and two or three thousand from down under.)

Ok, I admit I stood further back in the street for the last photo. It's not as small as it looks but it is demonstrably dwindling... I just wanted it to look as impressive as my lower back feels.

Here's where some of it went. Remember, this is still April. We've just unthawed from winter although everything is MUCH further ahead this year than normally. A couple of more months and these beds will seem just PACKED with perennials and lettuce and beans and tomatoes.

Main veg patch. That's my horehound under glass to the right. You can't see them but the peas have broken through the surface. And there are some veeeeerrrryyyy tiny cilantro, lettuce and arugula sprouts coming along.

Front flower garden. Only a few tulips and bergenia so far but give me a month...

This is beside the back stairs. Again, tulips, euphorbia (yellow centre top) and two measly daffs. The sign says "beware of cat".

Breakfast for the forsythia.

And the periwinkle.

And the former sandbox, pre-compost, soon to be a bean and herb garden.

Sorry for the lousy pictures. It was getting dark. I also have to figure out how to rotate the darn things. 

Cheers,

C.

Black Gold Mwahahah!

I just arrived home to this beautiful pile of compost that was delivered today by the city. This is what 3.5 yards looks like.

Of course, my immediate thought was "Can I take a personal day for compost redistribution?" I'm pretty sure it's not on the list of acceptable reasons but perhaps it's worth a try? I have been talking about ordering a load of compost for a few years now and I finally did it. The price is probably good but makes me blanch because I can make compost for NOTHING in my backyard. And I do, but  I can't make enough to keep my voracious gardens happy. This year though - ho ho - the veggies will be bountiful, the flowers will be vivacious, my back will be killing me...

And in other gardening news...
The rhubarb is growing like gangbusters - at this rate I may have my first rhubarb cake made in the first week of MAY!

The peas, are sprouting (despite the cement like soil that is dying to be amended by that lovely compost)...

and the first asparagus is tall enough (weird how it grows horizontally here in the northern hemisphere hey?)

 and about to be eaten! (Watch for our deliciosity rating post tomorrow.)

Cheers,
C.

Quick Stolen Post

Another one stolen from my daughter... this is one of those "makes me inexplicably happy" objects. Made by her and photographed by her and posted by her . Weighs a ton but works!

PS. Hello Cambodia and Russia! tee hee.

Soreno!

Ok, I admit that my brain did not un-fart itself - I resorted to re-researching a topic that I had researched before. The picture below is from an e-bay seller but until recently I owned one of each size of these jugs (although a longer story is hiding there to be told another day). This is the same series as C's salt and pepper shakers noted in the previous post.

These ultra groovy glasses from Anchor Hocking were also made in amber, turquoise, and clear, lots of sizes and shapes of glasses plus bowls, vases, jugs, and salt-and-peppers. A similar series called Lido had bigger uneven bubbles, was available in the same colours but also had a big ball-shaped jug that IS perfect for sangria as the lip holds the fruit in the bowl while you pour. Or so I'm told...

This is a picture from an etsy shop of the Lido jug in turquoise (my current one is avocado although I've had a gold one in the past... part of the long story for another day...)

PS I hate when the computer thinks it is smarter than me. Just realized the computer had changed "easy" (damn -there it goes again!) that was ETSY to easy. grrrrrrr!

Oops, the colour up there is actually aquamarine! See... (now I'm really stopping this post no matter what else I find!)

image from rubylane

OK, you know what, the middle jug might be the Milano style - flatter more open bubbles, the lido is more wormy looking and the sore no is the straight worms. (Damn! SORENO not sore no!) bye.

How Do Ya Like Them Apples, Part 2

I DID take a better picture of my friend C's kitchen. Check out that turquoise! And a few more of her treasures:

C has a fantastic collection of painted glassware, a HUGE pile of Kathie Winkles (none that made it to this picture) and I think she has new salt and pepper shakers every time I visit! (pictured here are the tall wooden souvenir ones - florida? bermuda? and the cute clear ones with yellow and red tops, and the green rippled ones that I used to know the name of but since my amygdyla has been acting up I can't access it at the moment!)

(If I can sneak a few more pictures of her house I will post them here. It's such a cute house that it makes me happy every time I visit and I know it will make you happy too).

PS Hello to visitors from The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Germany! Wee!

Drive Your Tractor To School Day!

Best news item I've seen all week.
(go to the article to see all the photos) http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3531052#

How Do Ya Like Them Apples?

Gathered with friends Friday evening for a feast. I brought this Flat Apple Thingy (not likely the actual Martha Stewart name but descriptive). It's got layers of phyllo pastry, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and pecans or walnuts, and a final layer of very thin apple slices covered with yet more melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. Yummy.

The best part of this picture is getting a glimpse of my friend's lovely kitchen. The counter was made by her hubby, and she's painted the cupboards a vibrant turquoise. It really shows off her amazing collection of vintage goo gaws and dishes and paraphernalia. (I took a third picture that showed more of her goodies but it didn't turn out).